The fifth annual Joshua 1:9 Freedom Run will take place on Saturday, November 18 at the Al Lopez Park in Tampa. The 5K race begins at 8 a.m. with runners, walkers and virtual participants coming together to raise funds and awareness for those persecuted for their Christian faith in the Middle East and Africa.

The 5K Freedom Run is a chip-timed race with its start and finish line at the Al Lopez Park, located at 4810 N. Himes Ave. in Tampa. Participants may register the morning of the race or online at www.joshuacord.org/5k/ or www.active.com. The early registration fee is $25 and $20 for active duty military. After November 14, the registration fee is $30.

All 5K registrants, including virtual racers, will receive a Dri-FIT t-shirt in appreciation for their support. The race is a family-friendly event incorporating a one-mile fun run at 9 a.m. The fee is $15 per child and free for those less than 5 years old.

Joshuacord’s founder Patrick Carberry established the nonprofit organization in 2011, and then in 2012, he inaugurated the Joshua 1:9 Freedom Run. Every year since, FishHawk Fellowship Church has sponsored the Freedom Run through funding and race day volunteers.

Corey Duncan, the Missions Pastor at FishHawk Fellowship, said, “We as a church come alongside Joshuacord to help inform and mobilize individuals to take action on behalf of those who face persecution for their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.”

Last year’s race raised more than $5,700 with 100 percent of the registration fees donated to the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME). FRRME provides emergency relief to persecuted Christians who are living in refugee camps in the Middle East. Registration fees from this year’s race will once again support the efforts of FRRME. Also, on race day, participants may donate baby blankets, gloves, mittens and hats, which will be mailed to Christian refugees.

However, Carberry’s efforts do not stop with the Freedom Run. Earlier this year, he paired up with Film Director Jordan Allott of In Altum Productions to begin filming an expository documentary about the Persecuted Church in the Middle East. The documentary Christians in the Mirror has not yet been released, but a trailer will be distributed to all race participants.

Amanda Boston is the Christian Voice Editor for the Osprey Observer. She is a graduate of Bible Training for Church Leaders (BTCL), who enjoys sharing how God is working in and through the community. Amanda resides in FishHawk with her husband and two children.